Rail-joint.



PATENTED JU'NE 4, ,1907.

J. R. NORRIS.

RAIL JOINT. APPLIOATION FILEDZJAN. 25, 1907.

JOHN R. NORRIS, OF SAVANNAH, GEORGIA.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specfication of Letters Patent.

Patented June 4, 1907.

Application filed January 25, 1907. Serial No. %4,097-

To all whom it may con/097%.-

Be it known that I, JOHN R. NORRIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Savannah, in the county of Chatham and State of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Rail-Joint, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in rail joints.

The objectof the present invention is to improve the Construction of rail joints, and to increase their; strength, durability and efiiciency, and to enable the meeting ends of the rails to be connected together without the use of threaded bolts and nuts.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rail joint, having rail-engag`ing members and fastening means for connecting the rail members, and to interlock the rail-engaging members with each other, so that they will securely hold the rails, even, When the fastening means are removed, whereby the number of wrecks due to the Separation, or other displacement of the rails will be materially reduced.

\Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawng-Figure 1 is a perspective view of a rail joint, constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig; 2 is a horizontal sectional View. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view, taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Figs. 4 and 5 aredetail perspective views of the rail-engaging members.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures ofthe drawing.

l and 2 designate two rail-engaging members, the upper portions of which are in the form of angle fish plates, and which fit against and engage the opposite sides of rails 3, as clearly illustrated in Figss l and 3 of the drawing. The rail-engaging member 1 is provided with an integral bottom plate 4, forming a seat for the rails, and extending entirely across the rail joint to a point beyond the outer side of the other rail-engaging member 2. The bottom plate or portion 4 of the rail-engaging member 1 is provided in its upper face with a longitudinal recess 5, located at the outer portion of the plate or bottom portion 4, and arranged beneath the rail-engaging member 2. The rail-engaging member 2 is provided with a bottom portion 6, formed integral with and extending inwardly from the lower portion of the rail-engaging member, and terminating at or near the vertical plane of the webs of the rails.

The inwardly extending bottom flange or portion 6 of the rail-engaging member 2 fits in the said longitudinal recess 5, and is held against lateral movement by the inner wall of such recess, and a flange 7, which extends npwardly from the outer edge of the recessed portion of the bottom or plate 4, and which engages the outer edge of the rail-engaging member 2. When the rails and the rail-engaging members are assembled, they are interlocked, and the rail-engaging member 2 is slidable longitudinally into and out of engagement with the rails and the rail-engaging member 1, and the rails cannot become separated without sliding the rail-engaging member 2 out of engagement with them and the other rail-engaging member 1.

The rail-engaging member 1 is provided at opposite sides with spike-receivng apertures 8 and 9, and the other rail-engaging member 2 is provided with spike-receiving apertures 10, which register with the apertures 9, when the parts are assembled, so that the spikes at one side of the rail joint Will operate to retain the rail-engaging members in their interlocked relation. The spikes' at that side of the rail joint have to be removed before the rail-engaging member 2 can be disengaged from the rail-engaging member l.

The rail-engaging members are connected by transverse pins cr bolts 11, having heads 12 at one end for engaging the outer face of the upper portion of the member 1, and provided adja'cent to the other end with notches 13, receiving keys 14, which engage .the other member 2 and retain the same in place. The notches 13, which are arranged different distances from the ends of the bolts, are of different sizes to correspond to the taper of the keys. The upper portions of the rail-engaging members and the webs of the rails are provided with registering openings for the reception of the bolts or pins 11, and the rail- IOO TIO

engaging member 2 is provided in the outer face of its upper portion with a longitudinal horizontally disposed groove or way 15 for the reception of keys 14. The keys 14, which taper outwardly, have upper and lower parallel faces, and are adapted to guide the keys in their sliding movement to engage them With and disengage them from the bolts or pins.

The keys ta er out'wardly from the central portion of t e rail joint, and they are provided at their inner ends with resilient arms or portions 16, which eXtend longitudinally of the rail joint and which are curved outwardly at their terminals, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing. The outwardly curved terminals of the resilient portions of the keys are adapted to abut against each other, as shown, whereby the keys will be retained in engagement with the transverse fastening devices. The resilient .arms or portions 16 are movable laterally with relation to the keys to carry the inner ends of the latter out of their looking engagement to permit the removal or the keys, and for this purpose the groove l 5 oi the rail-engaging member 2 is enlargd at the center to provide upper and lower oppositely inclined extensions 15' and 15 The inner engaging portion of one of the keys is adapted to be pressed upwardly and the other downwardly, which will permit the keys to readily pass each other. W'hen one of the keys is removed, the other may be readily detached, and the bolts ori'astening devices 11 may be withdrawn, when the keys are removed. The removal of the fastening devices 11 does not release the rails, which can be separated only by sliding the member 2 out of engagement with the other member 1, and for this purpose, the spikes, which pass through the registering openings of the rail engaging members, must be withdrawn.

It will be seen that the rail joint is eXceedingly simple and inexpensive in Construction, that it possesses great strength and durability, and that it is adapted to dispense with threaded bolts and nuts. Also it will be clear that the rail-engaging members are securely interlocked, and will prevent a separation of the rails, even when the transverse fastening devices are removed.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a rail joint, the combination with two rail-engaging members, of transverse fastening devices piercing the said members and provided with recesses, and keys eXte'nding longitudinally of the rail joint and interlocked with the recesses of the fastening devices, said keys'being provided at their inner ends with resilient portions engaging each other.

2. In a rail joint, the combination with two rail-engaging members, one of which is provided with a groove having upper and ower oppositely inclined extensions, of transverse fastening devices piercing the said members and provided with recesses, and keys slidable in the said groove and .interlocked with the recesses of the fastening devices,

said keys being provided at their inner ends' with resilient portions engaging each other, adapted to be pressed into the extensions oi" the groove to permit the keys to pass each other.

3. In a rail joint, the combination of two rail-engaging members, fastening devices piercing the members and having ali'ned recesses, and tapering keys eXtending longitudinally of the rail joint and engaging the notches of the fastening devices, said keys being provided at their inner ends with reduced resilient arms curved outwardly and engaging each other for holding the keys in engagement with the fastening devices.

4. In a rail joint, the combination with two rail-engaging members, of transverse fasteningdevices piercing the said members and provided with recesses, and outwardly tapered keys eXtending longitudinally of the rail joint and interlocked with the recesses of the fastening devices, the inner ends of the keys being in looking engagement with each other and being movable out of such engagement to permit the removal of the keys.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presenceof two witnesses.

JOHN R. NORRIS.

Witnesses: e

J. D. HOUN, G. F. WROTEN. 

